Prostate cancer

What is prostate cancer?

Prostate cancer develops when abnormal cells in the prostate gland start to grow more rapidly than normal cells, and in an uncontrolled way. Most prostate cancers grow more slowly than other types of cancer, although this is not always the case.

Early (or localised) prostate cancer means cancer cells have grown but, as far as it is possible to tell, have not spread beyond the prostate.

There are two stages of advanced prostate cancer. If the cancer grows and spreads outside the prostate gland into the seminal vesicles (glands that lie close to the prostate) or nearby parts of the body, such as the bladder or rectum, it is called locally advanced prostate cancer. Metastatic prostate cancer is when the cancer has spread to distant parts of the body such as the lymph glands or bones.

The prostate

The prostate is a small gland that sits below the bladder. The gland, which is about the size of a walnut, is part of the reproductive system. Only men have a prostate gland.

The prostate gland produces fluid that helps to feed and protect sperm. This fluid is the main component of semen.

The urethra runs through the prostate gland. The urethra is a thin tube that carries urine from the bladder through the penis. It also carries semen from the prostate and testicles out of the body during orgasm.

The prostate gland is surrounded by muscle, which enables it to contract and produce ejaculate. It is located near nerves, blood vessels and muscles that are needed to control bladder function and to achieve an erection.

The growth of the prostate depends on the male sex hormone, testosterone, which is made by the testicles (testes). It is normal for the prostate to increase in size as men age. Sometimes this can cause problems, especially with urination.

Who gets prostate cancer?

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in Australian men (apart from common skin cancers). There are about 17,000 new cases in Australia every year.

One in five men in Australia are at risk of developing prostate cancer before the age of 85. The risk of prostate cancer increases with age, with the majority of cases diagnosed in men aged 60–79 years of age. It is uncommon in men younger than 50, although risk increases in younger men with a strong family history of prostate cancer, breast cancer or ovarian cancer.

What causes prostate cancer?

While the causes of prostate cancer are unknown, your risk of developing prostate cancer increases:

as you get older – prostate cancer is mainly diagnosed in men aged 60 – 79

if your father or brother has had prostate cancer – your risk is twice that of other men

if you have a strong family history of breast or ovarian cancer, particularly BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations.

While prostate cancer is rare in men under 50, men aged 45–55 are at particular risk of developing significant prostate cancer later in life if their prostate specific antigen (PSA) test results are above the 95th percentile. This means that PSA levels are higher than 95% of men in the same age range.

You may have an inherited gene that increases your risk of prostate cancer if you have:

multiple relatives on the same side of the family (either your mother’s or father’s side) with prostate, breast and/or ovarian cancers

a male relative under the age of 50 with prostate cancer.

If you are concerned about your family history, call Cancer Council 13 11 20 or talk to your GP about the suitability of PSA testing for you and your family.

The cancer information on this website is based on the Understanding Cancer series booklets published by Cancer Council. This information is reviewed and updated every two years or as new information comes to hand. Cancer Council works with cancer doctors, specialist nurses or other relevant health professionals to ensure the medical information is reliable and up to date. Consumers also check the booklets to ensure they meet the needs of people with cancer. Before commencing any health treatment, always consult your doctor. This information is intended as a general introduction and should not be seen as a substitute for your own doctor’s or health professional’s advice. All care is taken to ensure that the information contained is accurate at the time of publication.

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Amazon Kindle 2nd Generation devices

EPUB files can’t be read on the Amazon Kindle™. However, like most eReaders, Kindle™ 2nd Generation devices are able to display PDFs. We recommend that you download the PDF version of this booklet if you would like to read it on a Kindle™.
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download the PDF directly onto your computer.

connect the USB cable to your computer’s USB port, and the micro USB end of the cable to your Kindle™. Note: the Kindle™ won’t be available as a reading device while it is connected to your computer until it has been disconnected.

open the Kindle™ drive and several folders will appear inside. The “Documents” folder is where you will need to copy or drag the PDF to.

safely eject your Kindle™ from your computer and unplug the USB cable. Your content will appear on the Home Screen.

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Cancer Council NSW would like to acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which we live and work.We would also like to pay respect to the elders past and present and extend that respect to all other Aboriginal people.

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